Spark of Deception
by PenPatronus
Summary: Megatron takes command of The Fallen's ship & crew! Sam is infected with Cybertronic technology - will Bumblebee, Lennox & Optimus Prime be able to save Sam, or will he become a Decepticon and betray them? Sam x Mikaela. Drama, hurt/comfort, friendship. DISCONTINUED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
1. Mikaela's Demons

**Summary:** Sam is infected with Cybertronic technology. Will Mikaela, Bumblebee, Lennox and Optimus Prime be able to save his life, or will Sam become a Decepticon and betray them all?

**Author's Note:** This story is based solely on the movies (and my imagination, of course) and takes place about six months after the "Revenge of The Fallen." Internal thoughts are _italicized_. Reviews are appreciated!

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter One:  
**Mikaela's Demons**

The Insecticon scanned the human female. Her heartbeat and breathing were even. She was asleep in bed with an unopened magazine on her chest. There was a line of cars on the front cover. The Insecticon zoomed in for a closer look at the automobiles, but none of them looked familiar. Of course, if finding the Autobots was _that_ simple, the Insecticon wouldn't be in the humans' apartment in the first place.

At 10:52pm the male arrived. He dropped a backpack and a laptop and walked quietly past the female into the bathroom. The Insecticon skittered across the ceiling until he was positioned directly above the couple's bed. Slowly he unsheathed a pair of fang-like needles and clicked triumphantly.

"Sam," the female suddenly said in her sleep. "Sam…"

The Insecticon scanned her again. She was dreaming. The tiny robot squeaked his version of a curse. If the female awoke, that would be another pair of eyes that could spot him. If he was spotted and failed the mission, Megatron would undoubtedly eat him. The Insecticon went as quiet and still as possible.

"Sam!"

The male opened the door to the bathroom. He had taken off his shirt and a toothbrush stuck out of the corner of his mouth like a cigar. "Mikaela?" Sam called, spitting blue toothpaste. "Did you say something?"

"Sam—_Sam_!" Mikaela twisted in the bed sheets and the magazine fell to the floor. "No, _SAM, NO_!"

Sam pivoted, spit his toothbrush into the sink and sprinted to the bed. "Mikaela, Mikaela! Wake up!" He took the female by her shoulders and hugged her to his chest. "Wake up, you're dreaming, wake up!"

The female gasped, opened her eyes and threw her arms around the male. The Insecticon smothered a chuckle at their weak human emotions and flexed his fangs with anticipation. Sam Witwicky was right where he wanted him.

"Oh, Sam!" Mikaela gasped. She ran her fingertips across his face and into his hair. She touched his chest and felt his steady heartbeat. "I haven't had that dream in months!"

Sam's body went stone-still. "The one about Egypt?" he asked quietly. "The one where I die?"

Mikaela lowered her eyes and pressed her forehead against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her nightdress and held her. For several minutes, neither of them spoke, until Sam asked, "I didn't think you'd be asleep already. Did you have a tough day at work?"

Mikaela shrugged. "If avoiding Matt counts as tough…"

"Again?" Sam hissed. "Doesn't that guy get that you have a boyfriend?"

"I've told him a dozen times, but he won't back off!"

"Want me to beat him up?" Sam held up one arm, then the other, and flexed. The tension of his muscles barely changed. But he grinned at her, and Mikaela chuckled.

"Matt's a big guy!" she cautioned. "And he usually has a big wrench in his hands. I know that you've defeated giant alien robots, but you might be biting off more than you can chew with him!"

"Damn right I've beaten giant alien robots!" Sam said, trying harder to get a muscle to show. He gave up, and put his arms back around her waist. "I bet Matt hasn't defeated giant alien robots."

"I can ask him tomorrow," Mikaela laughed.

Sam cocked his head to the side. "You have to work again tomorrow? It's Saturday!"

"I know, I know," she soothed. "But they needed someone to cover the shift. You'll meet me for lunch though, won't you?" Sam nodded. Mikaela suddenly tensed. "You don't think it's a warning, do you? That dream suddenly coming back?" She lifted her eyes to stare into his and he smiled calmly back at her.

"I think that you and I have been through enough, and this dream is just a reminder of that," Sam said. With the pad of his thumbs he petted her cheeks and neck. "We've done our part for king and country and, you know, the world and universe."

Mikaela snorted and relaxed under his touch.

"I'm right here," he whispered. "I'm alive, you're alive. I'm happy, you're…happy?" he asked.

Mikaela smiled at him. "Very. As long as I'm with you."

Sam leaned in and kissed her. He didn't pull back for several moments. When he did, Mikaela whispered, "Hold me?" and the two burrowed under the blankets, wrapped tightly in each other's arms.

An hour later, the Insecticon scanned the room and verified that both humans were asleep. The female's elbow was across the male's shoulder, but the Insecticon still had a clear shot at his neck. Silently he skittered a few more inches across the ceiling. He latched a wire, thin as spider's silk, onto the ceiling, flipped over and began a descent towards the bed. He passed a blade of the ceiling fan and a light bulb that was twice his size. And then he was in position, hovering directly over Sam Witwicky's face.

Two needles shot out of the Insecticon and pierced Sam's carotid artery. They stayed in contact with the blood stream for only a moment before the Insecticon retracted it and zipped back up to the ceiling at lightning speed. Sam's hand slapped at his neck as if a mosquito had bit him. He frowned, but stayed asleep, and didn't see or hear the tiny robot escape.

**To Be Continued**


	2. Porcupine Flu

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Two:  
**Porcupine Flu**

Sam Witwicky woke up in a cocoon of blankets, but his body was shivering cold. He rolled over and reached for Mikaela, but she must have already left for work. It was almost 11:00am. Sam groaned, sat up in bed and squinted at the thermostat. It was winter in New England and the courtyard outside the window was layered with snow, but the temperature in the bedroom was in the low seventies. Sam tapped the display with his knuckle, but it didn't change.

"What the hell?" Sam said aloud. He shed the blankets and stood up, but promptly fell back down.

"What the _hell_!" Sam grabbed onto the mattress for balance as the earth tilted left, then right. A volley of white stars shot across his vision. The dizziness lasted only a couple moments, but Sam suddenly felt weak, like he'd skipped a couple meals.

Moving slower, Sam kneeled beside an open vent in the floor and held the palm of his hand above it. He smelled heat: the slight stench of burnt rust. He smelled the warmth, but didn't feel it. Sam rubbed his hands together, then hugged his chest with his arms. His skin wasn't off-color and there were no goose bumps sprouting from his pores.

"What the hell," he said again, then went into the bathroom to take a hot shower.

An hour later, Sam left the apartment dressed in boots, four socks, two pairs of pants, three shirts and two coats. Bumblebee waited in the parking lot in Camaro form and chuckled over the radio when Sam came into view.

"Ha ha ha," Sam mumbled. He poked the Autobot's tire with the tip of his shoe before climbing into the driver's seat. "Turn up the heat, Bee, I'm freezing!"

Bumblebee searched the radio waves until he found a comedian's voice. "Bird flu? Swine flu? What's next, porcupine flu?"

"Just because I have the chills doesn't mean I have swine flu!" said Sam. He wrapped his arms around himself and folded his legs beneath him. Bumblebee aimed his air vents and turned knobs until the heat was all the way up. Then, even though the windshield hadn't defrosted, Bumblebee drove out of the parking lot and onto the road.

Bumblebee patched a sentence together from three different songs: "Going…to the…chick?"

Sam laughed. "Yes, take me to the chick. We're supposed to have lunch… Bumblebee, seriously, I'm really cold will you warm me up already? Isn't it your job to take care of me?" Sam's teeth rattled together and he clenched his jaw.

The Autobot gave an annoyed chirp and doubled the speed of the air coming out of the vents. Sam smelled the Camaro's engine working, and saw that the temperature on the dashboard was rising towards the "H." Sam frowned. He reached up and twisted the rearview mirror until he saw his own face in it. He examined his eyes, nose and his tongue, but nothing looked odd. Then he saw his neck and the tiny puncture wounds. A bit of scabbed blood came off when he scratched.

"Bee? I don't have swine flu, but there's something weird."

At the word "weird," the yellow Camaro did a complete one-eighty in the middle of a busy road and tripled its speed. Sam tightened his grip on the mirror to keep his balance. The mirror broke apart from the windshield, and the hologram dissipated in Sam's grasp.

"Bee!" Sam yelped. "Where are you going?"

"General hospital," the Autobot said, borrowing from the soap opera.

"Bumblebee, I don't need to go to a hospital! I think I just got bit by a spider or something."

"You…feel…bad?"

"Just a little dizzy—Bee, slow down, slow down! I just feel kind of out of it, all right? Look, if I don't feel better after lunch, you can take me to a doctor."

Bumblebee decreased his speed a few mph, but didn't turn around. He played back a recording of Sam's voice: "Isn't it your job to take care of me?"

Sam sighed and patted the steering wheel. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. You're the best guardian a guy could ask for. And I promise you can take me to the hospital later if I don't feel any better, all right?"

Bumblebee hesitated, then turned around.

"Great. Let's go see Mikaela. She'll warm me up."

**To Be Continued**


	3. Outburst

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Three:  
**Outburst**

Mikaela stepped back from the motorcycle and scrutinized her work. It had taken her hours to get it right, but the red and silver lightning bolts curved with the cycle's body perfectly. Mikaela switched to a white stain and added her initials.

"Nice," said a voice behind her.

"Thanks," Mikaela answered. She turned around, expecting to find Matt looking at the Harley's decals. Instead, his eyes were on her. "Don't stare at me like that!" she snapped.

Matt smiled innocently. "I can't help it, Mikaela. Beauty deserves to be appreciated."

Matt was a tall, blond college football player with blue eyes, wide shoulders and thick arms. He was the lead mechanic of the garage, but only because his father owned the place. With her own father finally settled in at the shop in California, Mikaela had followed Sam to New Jersey.

"Get your ass off my car."

Matt looked down at the hood of the violet jeep he was leaning against. "Why did you bring this thing in here anyway? The snow won't hurt it."

"She gets cold out in the snow," said Mikaela. "Don't you, Arcee?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "RC? You should give this car a pretty name—like Mi_kae_la." He batted his eyelashes at her.

Mikaela pushed past him and wiped a rag across Arcee's hood. "What an idiot," she muttered to the jeep. The windshield wipers promptly went up and down a few centimeters. The disguised Autobot was nodding in agreement.

After the Witwickys were kidnapped and used to bait Sam in Egypt, Optimus Prime ordered Autobot protectors for Ron and Judy, and for Mikaela. Arcee trans-scanned a vehicle of Mikaela's choosing, while Skids and Mudflap disguised themselves in the Witwickys' garage. The Twins' new role kept them out of trouble, and out of Ironhide's "hair." And Arcee was keen to see more of the world, even if that meant a smelly garage on the outskirts of a stuffy university campus. She and Mikaela were just getting to know each other, but they got along well. Mikaela would certainly rather talk to the robot than to Matt.

"You know, Mikaela," Matt said, "you and I are here alone. It's a slow Saturday and we have maybe an hour's worth of work to do." Mikaela sensed him come up behind her as she wiped down Arcee. "And I have some ideas about what we can do with the rest of our shift."

Mikaela felt a pair of hands rest on her hips.

She spun around and pushed against Matt's chest. Matt grunted, but stepped closer, pinning Mikaela against Arcee. "Come on, baby," he cooed. He forced her palms against the jeep's hood and used his weight to trap her legs.

"Just relax."

Matt bent his head to kiss her.

At that point, three things happened simultaneously: Arcee tripped her own car alarm and filled the garage with a deafening wail. The side door of the garage opened to reveal a shocked Sam Witwicky, and Mikaela head-butted Matt right in the nose.

"Shit!" Matt yelled. He cupped his nose with his hands. "_Shit_! You bitch, you broke my nose!"

Mikaela didn't move. Her eyes were on Sam, and only for Sam. And his eyes – it was impossible – she'd heard of "seeing red," but there was an actual rosy blush in the pupils of Sam's angry eyes.

"Sam?" Mikaela said. "Sam, what - why are you wearing so many clothes?"

Matt turned around. "Who the hell are you?" he bellowed.

Sweat was suddenly visible on Sam's face. He slowly took off his coats and hung them over a motorcycle. "Mikaela, get in the car."

"Oh, you're the bitch's boyfriend," said Matt. He wiped his nose on his shirt and his hands on his jeans. "Is she this fiery in bed?"

Mikaela saw every muscle tighten in Sam's face. "Get in the car, Mikaela," he repeated. Mikaela was so shocked by the fury in his voice and the glow in his eyes that she obeyed. Arcee's passenger door opened and Mikaela jumped in. Immediately she fished the garage door opener out of the glove box and pointed it out the rear window. The garage folded upwards and revealed the yellow Camaro waiting outside. Arcee went into reverse, then parked next to Bumblebee. Mikaela rolled down the window and watched the scene.

"Oh, I see what this is," Matt said. Sam stripped down to jeans and a t-shirt. He stood with his fists and jaw clenched. "You caught me feeling up your girl and now you're going to defend her honor."

"What I'm going to do," Sam said through clenched teeth, "is beat the shit outta you."

Matt chuckled and stepped forward until he was almost on top of Sam's feet. There was a solid seven inch difference between their heights. "I'll give you one free punch," he spat down at Sam. "And then, you're dead." Matt suddenly frowned. "Dude, what's up with your eyes?"

"Sam, don't—" Mikaela shouted, but she was too late. Sam's eyes blazed red. He drew his elbow back and launched his fist at Matt's chin. Mikaela expected it to bounce off, or shatter on contact, but it did neither.

Matt flew off his feet and across the garage. He crashed into the opposite wall and fell, unconscious, on top of an old Ford Taurus. Sam sprinted forward, grabbed Matt, spun around and threw him out of the garage and into a snow drift. His eyes getting redder by the moment, Sam stalked after Matt.

"Oh my god, Sam!" Mikaela cried. She dashed out of Arcee and grabbed Sam's arm. He whirled around, and his eyes flashed. The red glow seemed to scan her. Mikaela gasped and raised her hands defensively.

Suddenly Sam went very still. The red in his eyes evaporated. He stared at Mikaela, then slowly pivoted to look at Matt. "I did that?" he said aloud. He looked down at his hands, then back at Mikaela. His face was pure confusion. "_How_ did I…'Kaela, I feel really weird…" Sam stretched his arms out, reaching for her. He shifted unsteadily, as if the snow under his boots had turned to ice.

"Sam?" Mikaela reached out and braced her hands against his shoulders. "What's wrong—_Sam_!"

Sam didn't hear her. His body went limp and Mikaela found herself supporting all of his weight. She barely got her arms under him in time to keep his skull from cracking against the cement. Sam landed in the snow and lay still.

**To Be Continued**


	4. Meanwhile

**Author's Notes:** Thanks for your reviews! There's a simple correlation: the more positive comments I get, the faster I write.

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Four:  
**Meanwhile…**

Neither the United States nor the United Kingdom could figure out how the Decepticons were intercepting their communications, so all phone and digital transmissions with NEST stopped. Major William Lennox and his crew only contacted their support and supervisors with a cryptic Morse Code of their own making, and the entire operation abandoned Diego Garcia.

Off the east coast of New Zealand was a group of islands called the Poor Knights. They were formed from a dead volcano and were basically a mishmash of hills, cliffs, tunnels, arches and caves. Lennox chose it for NEST's new base because it was mostly off-limits to civilians already, and they could disguise their supply ships as science vessels. It was close enough to New Zealand north island in case of backup and far away from the fishing grounds. Plus, it was beautiful. Especially at sunset.

On the southern island there was an entrance to a cave large enough to fit an aircraft carrier. After two weeks of work by 500 engineers (and at night, a few Autobots), NEST had a 4-story underground compound, a dock the size of a football field, communications towers and a half-mile long runway.

_These damn stairs!_ Lennox thought as he ran up a spiraling flight from the officers' quarters. _Why didn't they build an elevator? _

The base-wide announcement came over the loudspeakers again: "Major Lennox report to Weather. Lennox to Weather."

_I'm coming, I'm coming!_ Lennox sprinted up the final dozen steps and emerged in the main hangar of the operations base. He jogged underneath the spread legs of Ironhide, who stood with his arms crossed and his optical sensors aimed at a corner computer station.

Lennox joined Epps, whose posture imitated Ironhide's. "Report!"

"Trouble," said Epps. He reached past the seated technician's ear and pointed at a computer screen. "See this red area over New Zealand?"

Lennox squinted at the screen. "The red area shaped like a walrus?"

Epps gave Lennox a "look," then pointed again at the screen. "The storm front will hit us in less than an hour."

"Storm?"

"A big one, sir," said the technician between them. "Not quite hurricane-force winds, but close enough."

Lennox stood up straight and folded his arms against his chest. "Recommendations?"

The technician glanced at Epps, who nodded. "I recommend we evacuate all surface personnel, sir. Underground will be the safest place to wait out the storm."

"All aircraft should be grounded and every ship tied down," Epps added.

"What will this mean for communications?" Lennox asked.

The technician could only offer a shrug. "It'll depend. I can't guarantee anything."

"All right." Lennox sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I want all personnel in the main hangar in thirty minutes. If there are still chores to do at that point, maybe the Autobots can help."

Lennox looked up at Ironhide, who nodded.

"Where's Optimus?" Lennox asked. "I'd like to talk to him about this personally."

Ironhide altered the panels around his face into his version of a smile.

"He's swimming."

-----

Lennox jogged past a row of motorboats to the end of NEST's dock. Seagulls scattered. To the west he saw the purple-tinted storm front and heard the thunder. He stopped at the end of the dock and scanned the horizon. The water was gray and unsettled and no life, sea or robot, was visible.

The major cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled: "Optimus! _Optimus Prime_!"

Nothing answered but the wind. Lennox braced his fists on his hips and sighed.

Suddenly a wave bounced off the dock, rocking it. Lennox kept his footing and looked to his right in time to see the blue dome of Optimus Prime's head emerge from the water. Optimus stood up straight (though the water still came up to his chest) and held up what looked like a snake between his mechanical fingers.

"What do you call this creature?" the Autobot called to Lennox.

"It's an _electric_ eel!"

Optimus examined the squirming eel. "It _tickles_!" He gently put it back in the reef, then tiptoed over to the dock. "Good morning, Major."

"Good morning," Lennox chuckled, still thinking about the trembling snake in the Autobot's grasp. "Did you have a nice swim?"

Optimus nodded. "The wildlife on this planet is truly remarkable. There are no oceans on Cybertron. No squids, no vibrant pink fish, no dolphins. I would like to try to communicate with the whales. They are the only inhabitants compatible with our size."

"I'm sure you'll be the best of friends," Lennox chuckled. "Meanwhile, we have a problem, Optimus. The weather isn't in a very good mood. See that wall of clouds behind you? When it reaches the Poor Knights, no ship will be able to come or go."

Optimus climbed up onto the dock and crouched down as close to eye-level as he could get. "I understand. How can we help?"

Lennox smiled. He could always count on the big guy. "I'll see if anyone needs help securing a tarp or something. What I really need is to know how your communications network will be effected by the storm."

Optimus cocked his head to the side. "If you're worried about the civilians, Bumblebee can contact us across light-years of space. I doubt a little rain will interfere."

"Even then, if there's a problem, we won't be able to get to the mainland, let alone to the States or anywhere else. The Autobots could probably handle the winds, but we won't be able to back you up."

"There has been no sign of activity from the Decepticons."

"We have a saying here on earth: it's always quiet before the storm. The Decepticons have been quiet for six months. Makes me nervous."

Optimus nodded in the direction of the thunderstorm coming at them. "If a storm is coming, we'll hear some thunder first. Hopefully Megatron will be quiet for a few hours longer."

**To Be Continued**


	5. Trouble

**Author's Note: **Ha. This scenario is kind of Borg-ish (as in "Star Trek"), come to think of it. Oops…Oh well.

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter 5:  
**Trouble**

Bumblebee and Arcee raced into an empty underground parking garage. Bee stopped, his tires squealing, and started to transform. Before the Camaro's back seats folded, Bee gently lifted his unconscious passenger out.

Mikaela jumped out of Arcee and sprinted to Bumblebee. "Here, lay him down flat," she said. Mikaela shed her winter coat and folded it into the size of a pillow. Bumblebee gently lay Sam on the cement, his head cushioned by the jacket.

Arcee transformed and aimed her communications satellite. "I'm picking up Optimus' frequency," she reported.

"How long before you can contact him?" Mikaela asked.

"A minute," the Autobot answered. "Maybe two."

"Hurry, hurry, hurry," Bumblebee repeated. He stood over Sam and wringed his mechanical fingers like an anxious mother.

"Maybe we should just take him straight to the hospital," Mikaela wondered aloud. Bumblebee nodded in agreement.

"We're a half mile it," said Arcee. "But we should to consult Ratchet before we go to an ER. Sam's strength was back there was…not human."

Mikaela shook out one of the sweatshirts Sam had taken off in the garage. "Lift him up a little, will you, Bee? He's probably freezing."

Bee inserted a finger under Sam's back and gently propped him up into a sitting position. Sam's head lolled to the side and his lips parted slightly. Mikaela started to thread Sam's arm through a sleeve when she noticed the temperature of his skin. "He's sweating," she said. Mikaela touched his forehead and cheeks with the back of her hand. She looked up at Bee with alarm. "I think he has a fever."

Bumblebee nodded and found a sentence on the airwaves. "His heartbeat is elevated."

Sam suddenly groaned. Mikaela and Bee immediately leaned over him.

"Mikaela…" Sam whispered.

"Sam?" Mikaela cupped his face in her hands. Instantly her palms were wet from his perspiration. "Are you with us?"

Sam opened his eyes, and Mikaela was relieved that they weren't red. "Mikaela…" he said again. Sam took her hand, then noticed the Autobot above him. "Hi, Bee," he mumbled.

Bumblebee slumped his shoulders and cocked his head. It was the closest he could come to a look of concern.

"What happened…I'm so hot…" Sam fingered his t-shirt. Suddenly he started scratching at the material, and his eyes widened. A flash flood of sweat made his face shine. "Mikaela, get this off—I'm burning up!"

"What? It's the middle of winter!" Mikaela's hands went motionless above him, but Bumblebee reacted. With the hand that wasn't supporting Sam, he cut off the t-shirt and tugged off his boots, leaving Sam in his jeans. Then Bee turned on his internal cooling system and aimed the fans at his friend.

Sam relaxed under the air conditioning. "Ah, that's better. Thanks, Bee." He crossed his ankles and leaned back against the metal fingers. "It's so strange: when I woke up this morning I was freezing cold, but now…" Sam looked up at Mikaela, and frowned when he saw the wide-eyed expression on her face. "What is it?" he asked.

Mikaela crouched on her haunches like a baseball catcher. She stretched her hand out and gently rubbed a fingernail across Sam's bare chest. Sam looked down.

The blood vessels above Sam's heart were black, and bulging through the pale skin.

To Mikaela's touch they felt like _wires_.

"Oh my god," Mikaela whispered.

"What the hell?" Sam sputtered. He looked up at his guardian. "Bee, what's happening to me?"

Bumblebee rotated his neck to his left to look at Arcee. Then he opened his chest and revealed his internal technology.

Deliberately, Bee pointed at the wires inside him, then at the wires inside Sam.

"What do you mean?" Sam demanded.

"It's the same technology," Mikaela said faintly. "Both sets of wires are Cybertronian. Sam, whatever's happening to you…"

"…is turning me into…into an Autobot?"

Mikaela thought about the red glow she'd seen in Sam's eyes. She considered his rage and strength when he attacked Matt.

He'd acted like a Decepticon, not an Autobot.

"I've got them!"

Mikaela, Sam and Bumblebee looked at Arcee. The violet robot approached and stood in the middle of the group. "I've got a clear signal to the Poor Knights. Everyone in NEST is in the main hangar together, so I'm going to put us all on…what do you humans call it? Speaker phone?"

A moment later, the voice of Optimus Prime echoed through the garage.

**To Be Continued**


	6. The Unmaker

**Author's Note: **Just finished the final outline for this story. Holy shit, folks, this is going to get _intense_! Enjoy and review!

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Six:  
**The Unmaker**

It took months for The Fallen's crew to repair their ship, the _Nemesis,_ and join their fellow Decepticons on Earth. Megatron hid the vessel in the Canadian Rockies and from there, planned his next attack.

The time for direct assaults had passed. Megatron was done with brute strength. It was time for _stealth_.

After The Fallen, the oldest Decepticon on the _Nemesis_ was known as The Unmaker. He was a scientist, a doctor who favored experimentation over healing. Like Starscream, The Unmaker preferred to avoid a fight whenever possible. He liked the safe distance of grenades and booby traps and biological warfare. When Megatron announced the Decepticons' quest to destroy the Autobots, kill the humans in league with them, and harvest a young man's brain for the Allspark's energy, The Unmaker was recruited.

He created an implant to insert into the human child's body and perform three tasks: track him straight to Optimus Prime, relay every word he spoke or heard, and infect Prime and the Autobots with a crippling nano-parasite.

If Megatron couldn't squash Optimus Prime's spark with his own hands, he would leech the Autobot's Energon from him.

The Unmaker experimented with hikers and campers that the Decepticons found in the woods. Every one of them died in their quarantined cages, painfully, only minutes after the implant was inserted. All except for one teenage girl, who said her name was Susanna. Susanna's systems became _symbiotic_ with Cybertronian technology, instead of consumed by it. Eventually, a week after the experiment, she did die, but not before completely transforming into a Cybertronian. That was the only reason the implant worked: in order to hold a virus contagious to a Cybertronian's spark, The Unmaker had to turn her into a Cybertronian.

The Unmaker was confident that the bait for the Autobots, Sam Witwicky, would survive the transformation as well, at least long enough to infect the Autobots with the parasite. And whether he survived or not, his brain could be harvested and the Allspark contained.

And so, with a dozen Decepticons under his command, Megatron assumed his late master's throne on the _Nemesis_. He was sitting there when Soundwave reported from orbit:

"The boy survived the injection, Lord Megatron. The transformation has begun."

Within the dark chamber of the _Nemesis_, Megatron sneered victoriously at Starscream and The Unmaker. "Is the implant transmitting yet?"

"Yes. I am recording his conversations with the human female and the two Autobots. They have said nothing of consequence other than recognizing the technology as Cybertronian. They know nothing else."

"They will suspect Decepticons," The Unmaker thought aloud in his raspy voice. "But they will have no defense."

"Excellent," Megatron purred. He got to his feet and paced across the throne room. "By the time they figure out that the boy's body is transmitting both a signal and a contagion, it will be too late. They'll be so concerned with stopping his transformation that they won't notice their own systems shutting down."

"Yes, my Lord," Soundwave agreed.

"I want an update every quarter hour!" Megatron barked. "When that boy is his way to Prime and Ratchet for help, I want to know."

Soundwave acknowledged the order, and signed off.

"Starscream? The guardian, the human boy's protector. What is that wretched Autobot's name?" Megatron asked.

Starscream bowed a bit from the shadows before answering. "The yellow soldier, my Lord? Bumblebee, I believe. Such a weak name."

Megatron growled deep in his metallic throat. "Bumblebee. Undoubtedly he will have the greatest proximity and exposure. He will be the first to die. And when the other Autobots can't even lift their guns, we will _strike_."

"The Autobots will be dead," Starscream hissed.

"Sam Witwicky will be ours," said The Unmaker.

Megatron closed his fingers into fists. "And from the Allspark we'll have the Energon to hatch an army of Decepticons! Every universe in every dimension will be _mine_!"

**To Be Continued**


	7. Conference Call

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Seven:  
**Conference Call**

The Autobots shut the fortified doors just before the almost-hurricane reached the base. It was crowded in the main hangar. Soldiers and pilots stood shoulder to shoulder with cooks and janitors and everyone was talking at once.

After a particularly nasty neck cramp, Major Lennox ordered a platform built in Diego Garcia's hangar so that he could speak with the Autobots face to face. A similar one was constructed at the Poor Knights Islands. It was shaped like an arrowhead with rounded corners for computer terminals and stairs on two sides. Other than the crown of Optimus Prime's head, it was the highest point in the hangar. The perfect spot for the Major to yell from.

When his yelling wasn't heard over the wind and the gossip, Lennox tucked his fingers between his lips and whistled. The noise was so shrill that even the Bots covered their "ears."

"Listen up!" Lennox shouted. "We've established communications with our field Autobots and top-priority civilians. There's trouble. You all need briefed on the situation immediately so Optimus here is going to broadcast our conversation. Everyone keep quiet so we can figure out what's going on!"

Everything was silent except for the wind. Lennox nodded at Optimus.

Optimus, who stood in the center of the platform bridges, activated his communications controls. "Arcee, Bumblebee, Sam, Mikaela, we're all listening. Repeat everything you just told me."

A series of anxious whines and beeps from Bumblebee preceded the female Autobot's voice. Arcee explained everything that had happened: Sam waking up cold, beating up Matt, collapsing in the snow, running a dangerously high fever, and the Cybertronian wires protruding from his chest. Lennox watched the Autobots while Arcee spoke. Although their faces were merely layers of metal, the layers flexed and moved almost like human skin and muscle. They were robots, yes, but they had human emotions that showed.

From what Lennox could tell, their primary emotion was fear.

When the pair of Autobots and the pair of humans finished their story, everyone in the hangar stared at Optimus, waiting for him to speak first. At first Optimus said nothing. He was staring into space, deep in thought. A minute passed, then a second.

"You are certain that the technology is from Cybertron?" he quietly asked.

Bumblebee beeped in confirmation.

"The wires match ours exactly, sir," said Arcee.

Mikaela's voice came out of Optimus' speakers: "But his eyes didn't. They were red like…well, they were red."

Optimus turned to Ironhide, his second in command since Jazz was destroyed. He pinched plates of metal above one optical sensor. It was a look that said, _what do you think_?

"Megatron," Ironhide hissed.

"But how?" Sideswipe asked from where he was leaning against the hangar doors. "The sudden shift from cold to hot sounds almost like the hatching process, but Sam is hardly a Bot infant!"

Prime pivoted to face the Autobots' medic. "Ratchet?"

Ratchet rubbed his chin. It was a gesture he'd picked up from being around human males for so long. "I've never heard of our technology being compatible with organic tissue."

"If Sam's passing out, it's obviously not compatible!" Mikaela spat. "This…this _virus_ is hurting him! What if it's permanent? What if it's…" Mikaela didn't have to say "killing him" out loud. Everyone was thinking it.

"Optimus?"

"Yes, Sam?"

There was a beat of silence. Finally Sam asked, "If my eyes are red, does that mean I'm turning into a Decepticon?"

Optimus Prime stood up very straight and tipped his chin up. "Sam," he said, "I want you to listen to me very closely."

Lennox blinked. He'd never heard that tone of voice from Optimus before. It was almost…fatherly?

"I'm listening." Sam's voice sounded constricted. Sometimes Lennox forgot how young he was.

"All of you listen," Prime said. His voice was firm but gentle. "Whether you were born on Earth or Cybertron, whether you were raised by saints or devils, whether your life has been easy or difficult, you have a _choice_. You can choose to be good or evil, to be an Autobot or a Decepticon. Your physical body can be infected, even controlled, but nothing can alter your will."

Lennox thought of The Fallen, who had been born a Prime but chose to Deceive. He thought of Jetfire, who changed his allegiance and joined the Autobots. He thought of his own choices, of all the times he could've run away, but never did. Lennox had the urge to salute Optimus.

"Sam," Optimus continued, "I know you. You don't have the will to hurt that boy, but your body did because of what is happening to it. Megatron can't control who you are."

Ratchet spoke up. "You should all get here as soon as possible. I don't know much about human anatomy, but the quicker I examine you, Sam, and start looking for…for a cure, the better. The doctors here can assist me."

"Agreed," said Optimus. He glanced down at Lennox, who picked up the cue.

"Sam? Get to the airport. With Optimus' communications system we should be able to get you secure transportation to Auckland. From there you'll take a ship to the base."

"But what about the storm?" Ironhide asked. "It might be gone by the time they get to New Zealand, but what if it's not?"

"We'll worry about that after we get them on a flight," said Lennox. He raised his voice, "You understand, Sam? Mikaela? Bumblebee? Arcee? We'll have an operative with NEST clearance find you in the parking lot. It'll be a long trip, and probably in a cargo jet with a bunch of chickens, but it'll have to do. All right?"

Bee beeped.

"Ok," said Mikaela faintly.

"Sure," Sam said, just as quietly.

"Bumblebee? Take care of them," Optimus said. "It will be all right, young ones." He terminated the link.

"You really think so?" Lennox asked him.

Optimus looked like he was about to say something, then closed his mouth. After a moment he simply said, "I hope."

**To Be Continued**


	8. Plunge

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Eight:  
**Plunge**

Deep inside the Nemesis, Megatron, Starscream and the Unmaker listened to Soundwave's report:

"The Witwicky boy is twenty miles off the coast of New Zealand. Bumblebee is with him, and the girl."

"Calculate their approximate destination and relay those coordinates to every Decepticon," Megatron ordered. He stretched the panels of metal that made up his shoulders, and chuckled deep within in his body. "I want my full force there in 48 hours. Unmaker!"

The Unmaker bowed to Megatron. "Yes, my Lord?"

"How far along is the boy's transformation?"

"His blood has almost solidified and his bones are iron. His Energon is strengthening. The more he becomes like a Cybertronian, the more Energon he leeches from Bumblebee, the stronger our connection to him."

"His connection to me! By the time our attack begins, that boy will be fighting not against us, but with us." Megatron threw his head back and summoned his most evil victory cackle. "Perhaps I'll make him deliver the final blow that kills Optimus Prime!"

Sam woke up in Bumblebee's front seat to find that everything he looked at from the steering wheel to the hood was tinted red. Even the night sky was off-color. As disturbed as he was, Sam was also intrigued. He had never been able to see so well in his life. His eyes automatically focused and clarified everything he looked at. He could count the number of pores on the back of his hand and instantly measure every stitch in Bee's apolstery.

And he felt strong. Stronger than when he beat up Matt. Briefly he wondered if he could lift the Camaro over his head.

Sam sat up and found Mikaela asleep in the back seat. The dark circles under her eyes betrayed how exhausted she was. Sam wondered how long he had been unconscious this time. The last thing he remembered was flying to Auckland.

Suddenly Bumblebee shifted under him. The car rocked forward, backward and forward again before it settled down. Sam heard horns and whistles outside. Moving slow so that he wouldn't wake Mikaela, Sam crawled out of the car and was suprised to find himself on the deck of a ship. An aircraft carrier. The ground beneath him shifted slightly with the waves. Sam saw a storm front on the horizon.

Sam patted the hood of the Camaro. "Bee? Where are we?"

"Near New Zealand. Twenty miles from NEST."

Sam looked down at his arms and saw that the black wires in his chest now extended to his fingers. He shoved his hands under his armpits. "How long 'til we get there?"

Bee pieced some radio bits together. "The boat...it's slowing down...they can't go any further...because of the storm."

"Do they know we're kind of in a hurry here?"

Bee was quiet for a moment, then said, "Your hands. What's wrong?" He turned on a headlight.

Sam sighed and walked to the light. He showed Bee his skin and could've sworn that the Autobot gasped. "Why is this happening to me, Bee?" Sam whispered.

Bumblebee chirped unhappily. "We will fix."

"Yeah, I'm sure there's a pill I can take to keep from turning into a robot." Sam rolled his eyes. "Ratchet and the doctors have never heard of anything like this, Bee. What if there's nothing they can do?"

The Camaro rolled forward and bumped Sam affectionately in the leg. It was Bumblebee's version of wrapping his arm around Sam's shoulders. "We will fix," he repeated.

Sam looked through the window at Mikaela and sighed. "You know what...I need some space, Bee. I'm going to take a walk." Sam stuffed his fists deep into the pockets of his jeans, lowered his chin and walked down the empty plateu of the carrier. After a few moments he heard an engine purring. Bumblebee was following behind him.

"Bee, seriously," Sam said without breaking stride or looking back.

Bumblebee kept driving. "Just want to...keep an eye on you," he said. "Guardian, remember?"

"I'm turning into a monster here," Sam snapped. "Dude, just give me some alone time. Trust me, it's a human necessity." Sam felt perspiration rise to the top layer of his skin. He remembered feeling this way when he saw Matt touching Mikaela, and that thought just caused the heat to increase.

"Sam?"

"I'm fine," the human snapped. But then, suddenly, he wasn't. His super strength waivered for a moment, just long enough to cause a wicked rush of diziness. Sam felt his heartbeat triple and then decrease by half. Red stars filled his vision and his legs felt like they were heavier than the aircraft carrier. He reached around for a railing to steady himself, but found none. If Bumblebee hadn't swung out his bumper and caught him, Sam would've fallen to the deck.

The normal Sam would have thanked his best friend for helping him. Red-eyed Sam blew both the preverbial gasket and the ones forming in his liver.

"I said I'm fine!" he yelled. And then the same rage that had made him hurt Matt enveloped Sam. He kicked Bumblebee right in the headlight, shattering the glass into splinters. Bee yelped and backed up, but Sam stalked after him. Before either of them knew what was happening, Sam put his hands under the Camaro's driver-side door, lifted it and pushed.

Bumblebee rolled twice before the momentum pushed him over the edge of the aircraft carrier and into the Pacific ocean.

Sam stared down at his hands. The rage and strength evaporated. For a moment he stood completely still and then he sprinted to the edge of the ship with all of his speed. It only took four steps.

Sam peered into the black water and called, "Bumblebee! Mikaela! BEE!" He looked around for help but the ship's crew wasn't around. Sam yelled again but he didn't hear or see his friends anywhere.

He took a deep breath, bent his knees and jumped.

**To Be Continued**


	9. Robot Leprosy

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Nine:  
**Robot Leprosy**

"_Lennox_!" Epps called from somewhere in the crowd huddled around NEST's main computers. It took several minutes for Lennox to burrow through the base's personnel, all two hundred of them who were riding out the storm in the main hangar. When he found the security terminal he listened for a beeping alarm and followed it to Epps.

"Report!" he barked at a young technician at Epps' side.

She pointed at a screen. "Sir, there's a faint Energon reading coming from the main dock."

Lennox frowned. He stood up on his tiptoes and looked around for the nearest Autobot. "Ironhide!" he called. "Are all of the Autobots in here?"

From his spot leaning against the hangar wall, Ironhide counted off his on his fingers: "Prime, Ratchet, Sideswipe and me - all accounted for."

Epps and Lennox raised their eyebrows at each other. "Decepticons?" Epps wondered aloud.

Lennox didn't answer. He unsheathed his sidearm and sprinted to Optimus. "Hey, Big Guy," he yelled. "Are you up for a little recon?"

Five minutes later, Lennox was sitting in the Mac Truck's passenger seat, rolling down the dock. Rain and wind pummeled Optimus so hard that he could barely go ten miles per hour. "Can you see anything?" the major yelled over the roar.

"No...wait. There!" Optimus turned on his headlights and pointed at the farthest corner of the dock. The light reflected off of a black fist and a mustard-colored head peeking out of the water.

"Oh my God," Lennox gasped. "Is that - is that Bumblebee?" As they watched, a human figure crawled from Bumblebee's back, over his head, up his arm and then onto the dock. Bumblebee bobbed in the water for a moment more but then his hand slipped. He disappeared into the waves.

"Sam - that's Sam!" Lennox shouted. "Go, go, go!"

Optimus parked and the major jumped out. Prime immediately transformed and hunched his body around the two men to protect them from the wind and rain. Sam lay flat on his stomach. He was completely soaked and shivering. Lennox flipped him over onto his back and shook him. "Sam," he yelled over the wind. "Sam, you ok?"

Sam coughed and spit up a mouthful of salt water. He grabbed Lennox by the shoulders and the major was amazed by how strong the kid's grasp was. "Mikaela," he gasped. "Call the coast guard. We lost her and..." Sam made a sound halfway between a sob and a cough. "It's my fault..."

Lennox summoned his strictest soldier voice. "Sam, focus! How long have you been in the water? Which direction did you come from?"

Sam shook his head. "I'm not sure. Hours. Maybe Bee..." Sam looked around for his friend. "Bee?" he called. His teeth started to chatter.

Optimus leaned over toward the surf. He squinted against the rain and wind and called, "Bumblebee?"

Sam watched him for a moment but then stared up at Lennox with a shocked expression. "She's dead, isn't she? Even if she didn't drown right away she's been in the freezing water..." Sam clenched his eyes shut. Lennox saw tears mix with the water on Sam's cheeks.

Lennox stood up and peered over the edge of the dock. "Optimus, do you see him? Did he sink?"

Prime frowned. "The current is strong but Bumblebee is stronger. Perhaps he is climbing up on the rocks."

"No...Optimus..." Sam whispered. He cleared his throat and said louder, "Optimus, Bee can barely swim. He only has one arm."

Lennox thought that there had to be too much water in his ears. "What?" he yelled.

"There's something wrong. He's falling apart. Literally. His tires, the armor on his right leg and his entire left arm, they all broke off in the ocean. It's like freaking robot leprosy."

Lennox turned back to Optimus. "What the hell would do that? You guys can take a torpedo in the ass but a few waves take you out?"

Optimus ignored the question. He nudged Sam and Lennox over to the side and instructed them to hold onto the pegs used to tie up the boats. Then the Autobot dove into the ocean. A wave of saltwater splashed down on the humans.

Lennox wrapped one arm around the peg and another around Sam. He tried his best to protect the younger man from the storm but the wind seemed to be gaining speed. "It's my fault," Sam said again. "I can't believe I..."

Before Lennox could respond, Optimus returned. He climbed onto the dock with Bumblebee over his shoulder and set the younger Autobot down. Bee saw Sam and chirped weakly at him.

"You ok, Bee?"

Bumblebee's only response was vomiting up water.

"We should hurry," Optimus said. He transformed halfway and pulled Bumblebee onto his back. Then he completed the transformation and Lennox helped Sam into the truck. When they reached the hangar, Ironhide and Sideswipe closed the door behind them. Epps came running.

"What the - Sam? Bumblebee?" Epps gasped. Then he pivoted and yelled, "Get Ratchet and a medical team over here, pronto!"

"Help me with him!" Lennox called. Epps climbed up into the truck and pulled Sam's arm across his shoulders. Ironhide moved Bumblebee, then handed him back to Optimus after he stood up. Optimus lifted the young soldier into his arms and carried him to Ratchet. The NEST staff backed away from the center of the hangar and watched.

Ratchet wasn't sure which one of his friends he should check on first but he decided on Bumblebee when the human doctors went straight to Sam. Optimus gently set Bee on the floor and the Autobots gathered around him.

"His arm...there are no signs that he took any fire on his shoulder," Ironhide observed. He sniffed the air around Bee and frowned.

"It wasn't sliced or pulled off," said Sideswipe. "Optimus? What's wrong with him?"

Prime shook his head. He said nothing, just watched anxiously as Ratchet performed his tests.

After a minute, maybe two, Ratchet stood up and sighed. "Bumblebee's Energon levels are dangerously low," he concluded.

"He's dying."

**To Be Continued**


	10. Humpty Dumpty

**Author's Note: **Thanks for the reviews! Fair warning: get some tissues before you read this chapter. -PP-

**Spark of Deception  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Ten:  
**Humpty-Dumpty**

Bumblebee lay trembling in a fetal position. The wires connecting his systems sparkled and then burnt out. Beneath him a pool of plasma and diesel formed. Flakes of mustard-yellow paint fluttered to the deck like snowflakes. As each washer and bolt rusted and fell off his body, Bee whimpered. He sounded like an ashmatic struggling to breathe. His spark, no longer protected by metal plating, flickered weakly in his chest.

"Optimus..." Bee chirped.

Prime kneeled beside Bee and put a hand on what was left of his shoulder. "I'm here, old friend," he whispered. "My brave Bumblebee. My brave soldier." Optimus patted Bee and then leaned back against the wall of the hanger. He lowered his head and put it between his knees.

Lennox spotted the Autobots from across the room and after a minute's hesitation, walked over and sat down as well. They were in the only quiet corner of the base. The storm had finally blown over and the NEST team scrambled around trying to repair anything that the weather harmed. All of their sensors and cameras, communications and radar systems were offline. The Autobots couldn't even communicate with Arcee and the Twins who were back in the States. For all they knew, the rest of the world might have blown away.

"Is Ratchet ok?" Lennox asked.

Optimus lifted his chin slightly and nodded. "We disabled the Decepticon technology that was stealing Energon just in time. Ratchet and I weren't exposed to Sam long enough to cause permanant damage."

"Good." Lennox stared at a section of Optimus' leg that had begun to rust. "You're a little messed up, though. Optimus, if you and the Autobots are compromised I need to know - "

"I am functioning," Optimus snapped. It was the closest he'd ever come to raising his voice at the major. Lennox didn't take it personally. After an awkward silence, Optimus asked if he could hang curtains from the rafters. Lennox had Epps and his staff bring the biggest tarps they could find. Prime arranged them in a circle around Bumblebee to give him some privary. Then he sat back down and made a noise through his voicebox that sounded like a sigh.

Suddenly, with a sound like a car crash, Bee's leg fell apart. It broke into its individual parts and rolled across the floor, splashing through the blood-like puddle. Bee groaned in pain. Lennox looked up at Optimus, expecting him to gather up the pieces and try to reattach them. The only movement Optimus made was to put his face in his hands, mimicking the human posture of despair.

The major stared at Bee's weakening spark. "How long?" he whispered.

Optimus didn't look at him. "Minutes," he said just as quietly. "Minutes."

"There's nothing you can do? Not a damn thing?"

"Nothing. I would give Bumblebee my own spark if I could."

Suddenly the tarp curtin parted. Ironhide peeked his head inside, stared at Bumblebee for a moment and then addressed Optimus. "He's awake. He wants to see Bumblebee."

"Is it safe for him to be out of quarantine?" Lennox asked.

"Ratchet doesn't think the final transformation will happen for a few hours. We'll restrain him before then." Ironhide looked over his shoulder, then back at Prime. "He insists, Optimus."

Optimus didn't say anything. He just waved his hand. Ironhide drew back the curtain all the way and let himself, Ratchet, Sideswipe and Sam Witwicky inside.

Lennox could barely stand to look at his young friend. Sam's body was more metal and wire than flesh and bone. He moved stiffly - robotically - as if his joints were cramping up. He wore one of Epps' uniforms because he was growing too tall and wide for his own clothes. The only part of him that still looked human was his face. No Cybertronian could mimic the sheer human despair in Sam's expression.

Lennox and the Autobots watched silently as Sam walked up to Bumblebee and placed the palm of his hand on what was left of Bee's cheek. Only Bumblebee's right eye was still functioning. It blinked sadly.

"This is all my fault," Sam said to no one, but also all of them. He shook his head in disbelief. "First Mikaela and now you. You're supposed to be invincible, Bee." Sam wrapped his arms around Bee's nose and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Bee. I'm so sorry."

Bee's radio was one of the last things working. "There's nothing you could have done, Sam," he said through a burst of static. "I'm glad... to know you... These past couple of years have been the best of my life."

A flash flood of tears rolled down Sam's cheeks. "I love ya, Bee. I don't know what else to say. I don't... I don't know what to do."

Before their eyes, dark red rust spread to the rest of Bumblebee's body. He shuddered. A plume of smoke fogged up the room. The Autobots all bowed their heads.

"At first I was your guardian because it was my job," Bee said. "Love was alien to me. But you helped me understand. Thank you, Sam...my friend..."

Bumblebee's face slowly descended to the floor. Sam fell with it, still hugging with all of his strength. "Bee, please," he whispered. "_Please_, _**please**_, _**please**_..."

And then, without a sound, Bumblebee became dead weight in Sam's arms. His blue eye went dark. His spark flickered one last time and then disappeared. The entire hanger froze in silence.

Five minutes passed in slow motion.

Optimus gently lifted Sam up with his hand and set him down beside Lennox. He tore one of the tarps off of the ceiling and covered Bee's body with it. When the last piece of metal was blocked, Sam released a single deafening sob that echoed off of every wall.

Lennox closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them, he was shocked to see new skin forming over the machine that Sam was turning into. In the blink of an eye, Sam suddenly looked human! Lennox's heart soared. It occurred to him that he was witnessing a miracle and he clung to that thought.

"Sam?" said Optimus. Lennox heard hope in his voice.

Sam slowly turned around and looked at them.

His eyes were _**red**_.

Before Lennox could react, Sam grabbed him, stole his gun from its holster and pressed the barrel against Lennox's head.

**To Be Continued**


End file.
